- "Any grandmother would be thrilled to aide their grandchild." —To H'aanit
Susanna Grotoff is a character in Octopath Traveler. Renowned as a famous seer, she resides in Stillsnow with her bodyguard Alaic.
Profile[]
Appearance[]
Susanna is an old woman with gray hair, which she keeps in two braids. She wears a midnight blue robe and cap, carries a wooden staff, and walks with a slight hunch.
Personality[]
Susanna is very wise, inspiring many visitors to seek her advice. Once a famed scholar, she remains astute, being able to deduce H'aanit's identity before she has even introduced herself—although she freely admits to H'aanit that she does not truly see the future. Despite her grandmotherly tendencies, Susanna may withhold vital information in order to test others' strength, as evidenced when she sent H'aanit to fetch herb-of-grace without telling the huntress she was entering a dragon's lair under the reasoning that if H'aanit was not strong enough to slay a dragon, she would not be ready to face Redeye. Susanna also seems to enjoy a good story, as during some small talk with H'aanit, she frequently compared the huntress's storytelling ability with Z'aanta's.
Story[]
Susanna was once a renowned scholar. For reasons unknown (perhaps on account of her spreading knowledge that the Obsidians wanted to keep secret) she drew the attention of the Obsidians, who sent their assassin Alaic after her life. After Alaic was stopped by Z'aanta and attempted suicide in shame, Susanna decided to save his life, convincing Alaic that he could reform. Ever since, Alaic has devoted himself to protecting Susanna.
Susanna eventually meets H'aanit, whom Susanna directs to fetch ingredients to prepare an anti-petrification medicine. She intentionally does not tell H'aanit of the possibility of having to kill a dragon in order to see her strength.
Quotes[]
- "For the tenth time, no. Besides, shouldn’t I be the one who’s hard of hearing? I’m sure you can find a better way to spend your time than worrying over an old woman like me. I don’t know why you’re even here in the first place..." —Speaking to Susanna
- "Ah, I see many interesting happenings in your future. My visions always come true, you know." —Purchase
- "The pursuit of knowledge is a journey with no destination. As long as people live, there is always something to learn. And so we learn, we record, we speak. Points connect, thus forming our history, our agency, our identity. This world we live in is not for, or of, any one individual - and neither is knowledge. And so I write and speak of all that I learned. To plant seeds of knowledge that will be harvested by those who follow me. To you who have found this knowledge, read well these words. That they may help you build a bridge to a brighter future." —Knowledge is Light, quoted by Cyrus at the end of his story.
Gallery[]
Etymology[]
"Susanna" is derived from the Hebrew name "Shoshannah," meaning "lily." This name may also be connected to the Middle Egyptian "sšn," meaning "lotus flower."
Susanna's surname "Grotoff" may be a variant of the Germanic surname "Grothoff," which refers to a village called Grothoff or Grotehoff.
Trivia[]
- Susanna wrote a tome mentioned at the end of Cyrus's story, titled Knowledge is Light. During his banter in H'aanit's Chapter 3, Cyrus notes that her name sounds familiar somehow and decides to reference his tome to find further mention of her.
- According to Alfyn, Susanna's medicine brims with "heart and soul," implying a robust character.
- Alaic mentions that Susanna gets ill from time to time and imports medicine from the Woodlands.
- Susanna cannot be Guided, Allured, or dueled.
- The children in Stillsnow call Susanna "the witch," a title ironically shared with Lyblac.
- Susanna is implied to be the unnamed fortune teller who originally gave Linde to H'aanit.
- In the Japanese novel The Four Paths of the Eight Travelers, Cyrus mentions Susanna Grotoff when lecturing Tressa.